Craps is one of the most popular casino games. It offers fast-paced, multi-dimensional action and a great variety of bets. Players can bet with the individual rolling the dice, against the individual rolling the dice or independently of the individual rolling the dice. It is this variety of wagering options and excitement generated by multiple players which make Craps so appealing.
Some of the most popular bets in Craps are the “Place Number” bets. These are individual wagers for or against the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 occurring before the number 7 occurs in the roll of the dice. Each time a Place Number bet is won, the bets placed on that number are paid off according to the odds for that bet. These bets may be temporarily taken “off” or removed altogether at any time by the player before the next roll of the dice. Place number bets that are “live” for any given roll of the dice are called “Working Bets.” Working Place Number bets offer the potential for multiple payoffs in each round of Craps before a losing event occurs for the bet as well as providing only reasonable house advantages against the players.
The Place Number bets also include what are called the “Hard Way” bets. These individual bets require that a specific dice combination (pairs of 2s, 3s, 4s or 5s) for the numbers 4, 6, 8, and 10 be rolled before any other dice combination for those numbers or a seven is rolled. Specifically, that two 2s are rolled before any other combination of dice that equals 4 or any combination of 7, two 3s are rolled before any other combination of dice that totals 6 or any combination of 7, two 4s are rolled before any other combination of dice that equals 8 or any combination of 7, and two 5s are rolled before any other combination of dice that equals 10 or any combination of 7.
The Place Number and Hard Way bets have remained essentially the same over the years. And while numerous variations of Craps have been proposed that combine aspects of that game with other casino games, as well as variations of the game that include additional one-roll proposition bets or bonus bets and jackpots, these Crap game variations, on the whole, have not been successfully marketed due to the satisfaction with and appeal of the game's established rules and bets. There is an opportunity to introduce a version of the game that offers players additional wagering options that expand upon the game's most popular bets, thereby increasing the dynamics and enjoyment of the game while retaining the familiarity of the game for the player and providing the casino operator with an opportunity for incremental income.